Sick Pay Optional for Canadian Companies
January 28, 2007 by laura
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
When I was ready to start working again, after taking 18 months off of life to recover from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. I had made the decision, that I would never call in sick unless I couldn’t get out of bed. A few times, I have tried my very best to get to work but had to return home. But other than that, I have done whatever it takes to get to work. Even if I am not feeling fantastic, I will always go. And more often than not, I am usually glad that I have gone. This attitude has helped me immensely, especially in my current job.
Currently, my employer does not provide me (or the rest of his employees) with sick pay benefits. When I first discovered this, I thought it was illegal. But then I did a little research. Here is what the Ministry of Labour and Citizens of BC has to say on providing sick pay for employees.
There is no requirement for an employer to give an employee paid sick leave. However, if sick leave is paid or allowed, it may not be deducted at a later date from any other entitlement to a paid holiday, vacation pay, or other wages.
It is completely up to the employer to grant their employees these benefits or not. I understand why they wouldn’t. Some employees completely take advantage of these benefits, for instance taking off sunny days, to go to the beach or play a round of golf. Or calling in when they have had too much to drink the night before, or for a headache. It bothers me that this happens so frequently. As I very very rarely take time off due to sickness. In fact my first year working for this company, I had bronchitis for about 40 weeks, and I did not miss a single day. Had I been able to take a few days off, it might have lasted for only 2 weeks.
So now, if I have to take some time off, I have to use a vacation day. In fact, the supervisor of my department (and I can’t blame him for saying this, eventhough it bothers me) suggested that I save my vacation days every year, and use them as sick days, as he was concerned about my health. I do not believe that this is right. However, this is becoming the norm in Canada. Unless of course, you can get yourself a union or government position. And, while I have never held a government job (so I can not comment), union jobs come with their own complications.
So what do I do?
I suck it up, and be glad that I am able to hold down a full time job that at least pays health care benefits.
I think that the way i read your story, you look at things from the humble and weaker side… It is sad enough to be sick, but it is reall worse when you take a position were you are almost accepting that your “pour employer” has to pay for your illness, ad you should come to work as much as you can… Well, no my friend, your “poor employer” is probably a multinational that earns lads of money exploting its employees and giving only big bonuses to the big bosses, while the rest of the employees work their asses like hell.. Your “poor employer” would not even blink to fire you if they could when you are not useful for them, but they do not, because they can not, because you are sick, and by law, they can not do that… I know what I am talking about, as I also have been diagnosed wih CFS after a mono by EBV more than a year ago, and I had to fight with lawyers to get my rights to get a full sick leave of 6 months without having to go to work, but that was achieved after being very ill the last year and still having to go to work, and suffering from mobbing strategies of sitting me in a different chair every week depending on who was on holidays… so beleive me EMPLOYERS are not SAINTS, they are bounded by legal rules, and you as an amployee that is sick, should take as much from them, as they did from you while you were no ill… and no regrets about that.
Hope you are fine
Cheers
C.
Thank you for commenting, I appreciate your views on this subject.
Actually though my view on this might not exactly be clear. While I feel that sick pay is something employees should have. I am thrilled that I am strong and well enough, that I don’t need them any longer.
However, without any sick pay benefits, some employees in my office (me included in this generalization) drag themselves in everyday when they are loaded down with viruses, and pass them along to others, because they can not afford to stay home and take a day off without pay, to take care of themselves.
I wasn’t talking about long term sick pay, that is something different. And I have completely different views on that subject.
You have even worse industrial relations laws than we do! Although Oz is heading that way rather quickly at the moment. I’m very thankfully to have sick leave. I never really appreciated it before I had Glandular and then CFS. I think it is an example of something that is in place to protect the weak and those who need it. I don’t think it should be taken away from all workers because it is abused by some. And I agree that sickness can spread more easily in a workplace without sick pay because people are reluctant to take a day off. I’m sorry you don’t have access to it.
My philosophy to taking time off work when sick is amply demonstrated by the last two days – I had a big crash on tuesday and basically couldn’t get out of bed. So I didn’t, I slept all day and hoped I would be ok again by Wednesday. I wasn’t, so I slept all day again (except for lunch, when my boyfriend dragged my down the street for some healing food), and today, I am feeling ok enough to be back at Uni. If I hadn’t let myself sleep, I know I would have taken weeks to get back to this level of wellness. It’s one of the few things I thank CFS for – the ability to recognise my limitations and to let them guide me when necessary.
Hope you’re feeling well!
Ellie, sorry to hear about the crash.
This CFS thing tries so hard to get us down, but we are strong girls, we will win in the end!!!
I have been battling the cold/flu this week -which explains my bad mood (see impaled gnomes) and it peaked this morning between midnight and 4:30 am, so I have decided to not go to work and stay in bed….there is no way I can sit in an office chair for 8+ hours anyway. Its come at a crazy time…but, I cant feel bad about taking it off..as I dont see much of a point, if I dont get paid for it anyway.
Really glad to hear you are feeling better.